Bollywood blaze of colour ahead for Hindus’ festival
A BLAZE of colours will decorate East Oxford as revellers from across the county gather to celebrate the city’s sixth summer mela.
Members of the Oxford Hindu Temple and Community Centre Project are trying to raise £2m to give the city its first Hindu Temple.
A fusion of Bollywood and Bhangra will come to Restore, in Manzil Way, as the group hosts its annual fundraiser next Saturday.
Volunteer Kanta Gopal said : “This is a very special occasion, we are really excited.
“It seems to have become a landmark event in the Oxford calendar, attracting people from all walks of life and backgrounds. It is a showcase for the many forms of Hindu culture.”
Mrs Gopal said that since 2008 the team has been raising cash to create a permanent base for the county’s estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Hindus.
Members decided to begin their fundraising mission after failing to find anywhere in the city to hold community events and communal prayer.
More than £120,000 has been raised to buy land before building a temple and community centre to host activities including lunch clubs, games sessions and dance and language classes.
Mrs Gopal said: “There is not somewhere where people can get together.
“We would like somewhere where we can practise cultural, social and spiritual activities.
“We want to make people aware of how broad Hinduism is and to offer people another experience.”
She said about 400 people of all cultures travel to Manzil Way each year to join the summer celebrations.
This year’s festivities, which will take place between noon and 6pm, will feature plenty of Indian food, dancing and music, as well as children’s games.
Entertainment includes performances from the Strawberry Fayre Majorettes, band Horns of Plenty, tribal belly dancers Ashnah, the Nachdey Hasdey Bhangra Group and hip hop dance troupe Messy Jam.
Families will also have the chance to take part in dance workshops, as well as sessions hosted by the Museum of Oxford and Science Oxford.
Mrs Gopal said: “Our primary aim for the mela is for it to be a community event.”